June 4 (2012-06-04) – September 7, 2012 (2012-09-07)
Makapiling Kang Muli (transl. to be with you again / international title: Together Again) is a 2012 Philippine television drama romance series broadcast by GMA Network. Directed by Ricky Davao, it stars Richard Gutierrez and Carla Abellana. It premiered on June 4, 2012 on the network's Telebabad line up replacing Legacy. The series concluded on September 7, 2012 with a total of 70 episodes. It was replaced by Aso ni San Roque in its timeslot.
It was originally titled as Rancho Paradiso.[1] The series is streaming online on YouTube.[2]
Actor and director, Ricky Davao was hired to direct the series.[7]
Davao is confident that the series can establish supremacy on primetime television as it boasts quality in terms of story and performance. He further stated:
"We're very proud of our work in this project. This is not a typical soap opera. The twists and turns in the plot and the character presentation will be enough to glue televiewers till the end. Everyone gave his best."
The series' producer cast two of the network's primetime royalties, Richard Gutierrez[8] and Carla Abellana[9] as Martin Caballero and Leilani Angeles, respectively, the two main protagonists of the series. The former expresses his gratitude on doing this project. For him, this drama is one of the biggest milestones in his career and a "something new" for him [the actor is associated with his top-rated fantasy-adventure series like Mulawin, Sugo, Captain Barbell, Lupin, Kamandag and Zorro] and for the audience.[10] According to Gutierrez, the entire cast prepared hard for this series and underwent trainings and workshops before filming.[11]
Meanwhile, veteran and award-winning actress, Gloria Romero plays the main villainess, Señora Soledad Silvestre.[6] It is her first time to do an "anti-hero" role, and said that the role is very different from her goody-good role in the successful and highly rated drama series Munting Heredera, whom she recently completed. She stated... "When they gave me the role as Senyora Soledad, I immediately liked it! It is far from other roles I did in my past television series. I said, yes [to them] quickly! It is a huge challenge for me. I love these kind of roles", she added.[12]
Comedian John Lapus plays support to Gutierrez, which he doesn't really mind even after recently receiving his second Actor of the Year award from the Guillermo Mendoza Scholarship Foundation (2012). He further stated:
On director Ricky Davao, it is his first time to direct most of the lead stars of the series except for Sarah Lahbati, whom he previously handled in the afternoon drama-fantasy series, Kokak. Here, however, Lahbati is portraying someone totally different from her shy-girl screen persona. She's now playing an assertive seductress who tries to steal Gutierrez's character away from his leading lady (Abellana). Davao added... "The good thing about Sarah is that she knows what she wants. And she works hard."[7]
On his strategy in handling big stars like Gutierrez and Abellana, the director said that he just talk to them and get to know their likes, dislikes, fears, limitations, strengths and weaknesses as actors. He further stated that he is impressed by Abellana's growth as an actress. He worked with her as co-star in the drama series Kung Aagawin Mo Ang Langit. "She has matured a lot from her first soap, Rosalinda", he added.[7]
Production
Principal photography commenced on May 7, 2012 with the series' creator, Des Garbes Severino, who also served as the head writer, creative director, Jun Lana, Michele Borja as the executive producer of the show, and Lilybeth G. Rasonable headed as the over-all in charge of the production.[13] Filming concluded on August 29, 2012.[14]
Reception
Ratings
According to AGB Nielsen Philippines' Mega Manila household television ratings, the pilot episode of Makapiling Kang Muli earned a 24% rating.[15] While the final episode scored a 24.8% rating.[16]
Critical response
Blog writer, Nestor Silvestre complimented the series on its high production value and the ensemble's acting. "The scenes in the Jailhouse with Richard were also beyond my expectations, they effortlessly pulled off fight scenes, dangerous motorcycle stunts, bombings and blasting and most especially the camera shots really gave me the feeling that I was like in a movie house watching a legit action film"...he stated.[17]
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